小王子英文版4

4

        I had thus learned a second fact of great importance: this was that the planet the little prince came from wasscarcely any larger than a house!

        But that did not really surprise me much. I knew very well that in addition to the great planets--such as theEarth, Jupiter, Mars, Venus--to which we have given names, there are also hundreds of others, some ofwhich are so small that one has a hard time seeing them through the telescope. When an astronomerdiscovers one of these he does not give it a name, but only a number. He might call it, for example,"Asteroid 325."

        I have serious reason to believe that the planet from which the little prince came is the asteroid known as B-612.

        This asteroid has only once been seen through the telescope. That was by a Turkish astronomer, in 1909.

        On making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in agreat demonstration. But he was in Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what he said.

        Grown-ups are like that . . .

        Fortunately, however, for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, a Turkish dictator made a law that his subjects,under pain of death, should change to European costume. So in 1920 the astronomer gave hisdemonstration all over again, dressed with impressive style and elegance. And this time everybodyaccepted his report.

        If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its number for you, it is on account ofthe grown-ups and their ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask youany questions about essential matters. They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like? Whatgames does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they demand: "How old is he? How manybrothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?" Only from thesefigures do they think they have learned anything about him.

        If you were to say to the grown-ups: "I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in thewindows and doves on the roof," they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all. You wouldhave to say to them: "I saw a house that cost $20,000." Then they would exclaim: "Oh, what a pretty housethat is!"

        Just so, you might say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that helaughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists." Andwhat good would it do to tell them that? They would shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child. But ifyou said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then they would be convinced, and leaveyou in peace from their questions.

        They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children should always show great forbearancetoward grown-up people.

        But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference. I should have liked to beginthis story in the fashion of the fairy-tales. I should have like to say: "Once upon a time there was a littleprince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than himself, and who had need of a sheep . . ."

        To those who understand life, that would have given a much greater air of truth to my story.

        For I do not want any one to read my book carelessly. I have suffered too much grief in setting down thesememories. Six years have already passed since my friend went away from me, with his sheep. If I try todescribe him here, it is to make sure that I shall not forget him. To forget a friend is sad. Not every one hashad a friend. And if I forget him, I may become like the grown-ups who are no longer interested inanything but figures . . .

        It is for that purpose, again, that I have bought a box of paints and some pencils. It is hard to take updrawing again at my age, when I have never made any pictures except those of the boa constrictor from theoutside and the boa constrictor from the inside, since I was six. I shall certainly try to make my portraits astrue to life as possible. But I am not at all sure of success. One drawing goes along all right, and another hasno resemblance to its subject. I make some errors, too, in the little prince's height: in one place he is too talland in another too short. And I feel some doubts about the color of his costume. So I fumble along as best Ican, now good, now bad, and I hope generally fair-to-middling.

        In certain more important details I shall make mistakes, also. But that is something that will not be myfault. My friend never explained anything to me. He thought, perhaps, that I was like himself. But I, alas,do not know how to see sheep through the walls of boxes. Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups. I havehad to grow old.